FamilySearch is growing rapidly. Growth has made it necessary to separate FamilySearch.org and ChurchofJesusChrist.org accounts. As of September 13, 2021, FamilySearch accounts and accounts on ChurchofJesusChrist.org (“Church Accounts”) are no longer linked. The change does not change how most users sign in to FamilySearch.
In the previous system used to manage accounts, any account created on FamilySearch.org created a matching account on ChurchofJesusChrist.org. Similarly, any account created on ChurchofJesusChrist.org created a matching FamilySearch account. The dual linked accounts existed for all users. Now, FamilySearch accounts are created and managed only on FamilySearch.org and Church Accounts are created and managed only on ChurchofJesusChrist.org.
The change does not impact how you use FamilySearch.org. However, separating accounts allows FamilySearch.org to accommodate future growth, simplify access, improve security and privacy, and conserve Church resources.
As a Church member, you can still sign in to the FamilySearch.org website with your Church Account. On the sign-in page, click Sign In with Church Account. This will allow you to continue to use one sign-in for all Church web properties. Note: If you created a brand new Church account after September 13, 2021, you must create a separate FamilySearch account in order to sign-in to the FamilySearch mobile apps (including Family Tree and Memories).
When you have a Church account, this does not mean that you automatically have a FamilySearch account. A FamilySearch account is not created at the time of Church account creation.
You can create a separate FamilySearch account. Some members prefer to use separate passwords for their Church Account and FamilySearch account.
If you change your account information on either FamilySearch.org or ChurchofJesusChrist.org, the changes do not occur on both sites. For example, if you change your Church Account password, it affects only Church properties, like Gospel Library and the Tools app. FamilySearch.org and FamilySearch mobile applications still use the old password, unless you make the same change on FamilySearch. The same principle applies to name and contact information. If you want to change both accounts, you must make them on both websites. In summary, if you change your username or password on either of these sites, it no longer automatically changes it for the other.
The option to use your Church Account credentials has been a part of the FamilySearch website but has not been available on mobile apps. A new Church Account button has been added to mobile apps to provide users the capability to use their Church account credentials to sign into FamilySearch.
Because of this change, as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, you have two options to sign into FamilySearch:
- Use Sign In with Church Account, which uses your Church Account.
Continue to use your FamilySearch.org username and password.